22300.005 Adam in the First Garden

Day 5

And they [Adam and Eve] heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. (Genesis 3:8) 

In the beginning, God put Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and supplied all their needs for life. Food and shelter were theirs in abundance. There was no sin—no separation from God. An atmosphere of peace, freedom, and joyful belonging permeated all of life. The couple lived in unity with God, with themselves, and with creation. In unbroken relationship, God walked with them. 

Satan hated the life-giving, love-giving fellowship the couple enjoyed with God, so he plotted to sever it. 

God had warned Adam not to eat the fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. That fruit wasn’t good for people. So God set a boundary to keep His precious creation safe. Like a mother warning her child not to eat something poisonous, God warned Adam of the tragic outcome of eating the fruit. “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:16–17). 

But Satan tempted Eve. In the form of a serpent, he came to her: “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5). 

Eve believed the serpent’s lies and ate the fruit. She gave some to Adam and he ate too. 

Immediately upon eating the fruit, the couple’s relationship with God changed. Before they had known only good, but now their “opened” eyes—their newfound knowledge of good and evil— caused them to realize the evil they had done. Now they knew God was holy and good, and that He hated sin. So they hid from Him. 

Yet, like a father looking for his lost children, God went searching for Adam and Eve. “Where are you?” He called. 

Adam answered, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid …” (Genesis 3:9–10). 

Afraid”? Where did that fear come from? It didn’t come from God. He had always provided for them; He delighted in walking with them in the cool of the garden. God had not changed; He had not rejected them.

He loved them before they ate the fruit and He loved them after they ate the fruit. 

But the couple had sinned and their view of God was distorted. Their newly “opened” eyes, blinded by the knowledge of good and evil, couldn’t see God’s lovingkindness. Instead, fearing God’s punishment for their sin, Adam and Eve hid themselves from God … and His love. 

And in their fall, the entire human race fell too. Connection was broken. No longer could humanity live in caring, compassionate, life-giving relationship with God, themselves, and creation. 

For thousands of years, throughout Old Testament times, God would be with His people as they struggled to find a way back to the distant and punishing God they saw with their “opened” eyes. Even though they were oblivious to His true nature, God loved them and longed to be with them. So like a kind father might care for his disabled child, God cared for them in a way they could accept. He gave them good laws to follow … but they couldn’t obey. He sustained them … but they failed to see Him as their provider. 

Yet, through it all, the Father had a plan of redemption. When the time was right, through His Son, He would make a way to repair our broken relationship so we could live again in His love. 

Ponder for a Moment 

What do you imagine Adam and Eve felt and experienced in the Garden before the fall? 

Are you willing to consider the possibility that, even if you have been a Christian for a long time, you might not be seeing God as He really is? 

In what ways might you personally be hiding from God?